The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Miscanthus sinensis and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Mysterious Maiden’. ‘Mysterious Maiden’ represents a new cultivar of Japanese silver grass, a cold hardy, perennial ornamental grass grown for landscape use.
The inventor discovered and selected the new cultivar, ‘Mysterious Maiden’, in a cultivated area at his nursery in Greenport, N.Y. in summer of 1998. ‘Mysterious Maiden’ was discovered as a chance seedling that arose in a nursery container of Rudbeckia maxima. The parentage of the new cultivar is unknown, however the characteristics of ‘Mysterious Maiden’ and their presence at the inventor's nursery suggest that Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’ (not patented) and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ (not patented) are likely parents.
The new cultivar ‘Mysterious Maiden’ was selected for the unique gold banding pattern of its leaf blades combined with its narrow leaves, vase-shaped habit and its vigorous growth rate. In comparison to Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’, ‘Mysterious Maiden’ has narrower leaves, a banding pattern that is comprised of bands that are narrower, more distinct and more frequent and a plant habit that is more vase-shaped. In comparison to Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’, ‘Mysterious Maiden’ is similar in habit but has slightly wider leaves, has a gold banding pattern, blooms earlier, and is shorter in height.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by culm division in Greenport, N.Y. in spring of 1999 by the inventor. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.